


Shoreline

by edibleflowers



Category: Popslash
Genre: M/M, Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-18
Updated: 2012-09-18
Packaged: 2017-11-14 12:59:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/515475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edibleflowers/pseuds/edibleflowers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The words really are a big deal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shoreline

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to lemniskate67 for help with ideas. Future!fic, sappy, etc. Also, since National Coming Out Day is today [when originally posted], this sort of goes along with that. Happy birthday, Jodi-girl. This is for you.

The sun is starting to set when Joey breaks away from the party. Things are still going strong, and he suspects they will be for several more hours; but he hasn't seen JC in a while now, and when he asks around, no one else directly recalls where he was last. Finally, Bree takes a break from dancing to note that she thought she saw him headed toward the beach, so he ruffles her hair and leaves her complaining about how "it took forever to get it done just like that!" and heads, barefoot, for the slate flagstones that mark the path to the water.

He isn't surprised to see the lone figure by the water's edge. The tide is low, won't be coming in for a few hours, and the water laps up quietly to the shore before darting away again. JC's figure is slender as ever, the dichotomy of him -- broad-shouldered and tall, thin and bony -- etched familiarly in Joey's heart. Joey makes his way down the steps from the breakwall, treads easily over sand still warm with the day's sun, down to the water's edge.

JC knows he's there, since Joey didn't bother trying to mask his approach, and he turns to glance at Joey, sideways over his shoulder, a little smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Hey," he says.

"'Hey'?" Joey repeats as he sits down next to JC, with a little grunt -- he's not as limber as he used to be. "'Hey'? That's all I get, huh?"

JC's smile widens a little and he leans over, propping himself with a hand behind Joey's back. "Hey," he says again, their mouths very close together, and his lips are light on Joey's.

"Hey," Joey smiles. He moves his arm around JC's waist and tips his head against JC's so they can watch, together, as the sun smears the Gulf waters in gold and red fire.

"How's the reception going?" JC asks, after a little while. Joey smooths down the hem of JC's shirt, tucking it considerately back into his linen pants.

"It's fine. Bree's having a great time dancing, you should see her."

"I will." JC sighs softly, but it's a peaceful sound, not a lonely one.

"Hard to believe, huh?" Joey murmurs. "Kind of unreal, still. Even now."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." JC has his left hand resting loosely on a knee, and he spreads his fingers now, admiring the glint of gold caught by the last sunlight. It's a simple band, plain but elegant, but JC doesn't need fancy, and Joey isn't fancy, so it works out well. "I don't know if it ever will seem real."

"But it is. You're my husband now." Saying it, Joey feels the same moment of dissonance that he felt standing before JC hours before, in the dappled noon sun, pledging themselves to each other; it was as if the earth swayed for a moment under his feet, a wave of surreal happiness swamping him. To be able to say it aloud, before their friends and family and the world, to bind himself irrevocably to JC; he didn't know if he'd ever felt an emotion so strong, except maybe the moment when Briahna was born, almost twelve years ago.

JC swallows a little and Joey's pulled from his reverie by the feel of JC's shoulders shaking just a little. "What is it?" he says, turning towards him. JC's mouth is trembling.

"It's so big," he says. "It's you and me, and. And everything. I don't know how to say it. That's just. I had to get away and be by myself and think about it, it was just too loud in there."

Joey nods, though, because he does get it. He lets a hand stroke through JC's disheveled hair, tugs JC lightly to him. "I know, baby," he whispers. "I know."

He kisses JC's cheek and temple and ear, every inch of skin sacred to him now, familiar territory and new all at once. JC's hands splay across his back, spanning the wide breadth of his waist, and when JC's lips find their way to his neck, under his jawline, he shivers. "I don't want to go back," JC whispers. "Do we have to go back?"

He wants to say no, more than anything. "We have to," he sighs. "But," as he feels JC slump against him, "it's only fair to say goodnight to everyone before I haul you upstairs and have my wicked way with you."

JC's smile is radiant and Joey feels his heart lighten immeasurably. "Well, let's go," JC laughs, grabbing Joey's hand and pulling, and Joey is eager to follow.


End file.
